Heat a panini press or griddle over medium heat.
Spread a thin layer of mascarpone on top of each bread slice.
Add an even layer of strawberries to 4 bread slices. Use the other 4 slices of bread to top the sandwiches.
Brush sandwiches with butter and grill or press until golden, about 5 minutes.
Transfer panini to cutting board and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.
Berry Snack BarsYield: 20 barsGrown-Up Alert: Supervise younger children when chopping nuts and using theoven.Crust:1 cup pecans, chopped, divided3/4 cup whole-wheat flour3/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup sugar1/2 teaspoon salt4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces1 large egg2 tablespoons canola oil1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/4 teaspoon almond extract Pan release cooking sprayFruit Filling:3 cups Florida strawberries, hulled and diced; divided2 1/2 cups Florida blueberries, divided1/4 cup orange juice1/2 cup sugar1/4 cup cornstarch1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For crust: Combine 3/4 cup chopped pecans, both flours, sugar and salt in food processor. Pulse together until nuts are finely ground. Add cold butter to mixture and pulse until well incorporated.
In small mixing bowl, whisk egg, oil, vanilla and almond extracts together.
With motor running on food processor, add egg mixture to pecan mixture. Continue to pulse until it begins to clump, 30 to 45 seconds.
Measure out 1/2 cup of mixture and combine in bowl with remaining 1/4 cup chopped pecans; set aside for topping.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine 2 cups strawberries, 2 cups blueberries, orange juice, sugar and cornstarch in large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened (about 4 to 5 minutes). Stir in remaining fresh fruit and add vanilla.
Transfer crust mixture to sprayed baking dish. Spread evenly and press firmly into bottom to form crust. Evenly spread fruit filling over crust. Sprinkle top of fruit filling with reserved topping mixture.
Bake bars for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until crust and topping are lightly brown, 25 to 30 minutes more.
Let bars cool completely before cutting. Serve with fresh fruit.
Kids in the Kitchen
Age-Appropriate Cooking Tasks
Chefs ages 4 to 5
•Squeezing lemons and limes •Washing produce •Stirring and whisking •Pouring ingredients
Chefs ages 6 to 7
•Grating, peeling and zesting •Greasing pans •Scooping batter •Mashing and kneading
Chefs ages 8 to 9
•Slicing and chopping, with supervision •Peeling fruits and vegetables •Measuring ingredients •Breaking eggs
Chefs ages 10+
•Slicing, chopping and dicing •Baking •Boiling •Sautéing
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Matthew Barksdale
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